League now looms large for Mayo

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MAYO manager James Horan says while that the FBD Connacht League campaign “didn’t go according to plan, we’ve learned a lot about ourselves and where we are, and where our attitudes are. We have time to rectify that.”Horan was speaking to The Mayo News after last Sunday’s dour draw against Roscommon brought the curtain down on his team’s three games in seven days in the provincial competition.They finished with one win, one draw, and one defeat as they relinquished their grip on the Paddy Francis Dwyer Cup.Mayo will now return to the training ground in preparation for the start of their Allianz League Division 1 campaign against Kerry on Sunday week next. They also face Tyrone in Castlebar seven days later before the NFL takes its traditional three-week break.“We have some great games coming up,” admitted Horan.“The first few league games are two we’re really looking forward to, seeing how we can perform on those games. “We’re looking to shake things up,” he added when asked about potential team selections next month.“There’s criteria there for selecting players so we’re looking for new guys that are standing up through training and the FBD League. And if there are new guys that are close they’ll get an opportunity.”The Mayo boss also revealed that Cillian O’Connor, Alan Dillon and Evan Regan, all of whom sat out Mayo’s three FBD League games due to injuries, will be facing a race against time to be fit to face the Kingdom in Castlebar.“It will be close but it’s day by day with some of those guys,” said the Mayo boss. Meanwhile, new Mayo coach Donie Buckley was part of the team’s match-day group for the first time last Sunday in Ballyhaunis.The Ennis-based coach was part of the Kerry backroom team last year and has also worked with Limerick and Galway.